Schumann, Sonata in A min for violin and
piano, transcribed for the viola by Jeanne Mallow-Kim
The violin sonata no. 1 in A minor, opus 105 of Robert Schumann was written
the week of September 12– 16 September 1851. Schumann was reported
to have expressed displeasure with the work ("I did not like the
first Sonata for Violin and Piano; so I wrote a second one, which I hope
has turned out better") though as pointed out in the notes to the
Hänssler recording he was willing to have it published by Breitkopf
und Härtel the year it was written, so this remark may have been
facetious. This was also the year of the premiere of the Rhenish symphony
[1], and among compositions the substantial revision of the fourth symphony,
the third piano trio, the oratorio Der Rose Pilgerfahrt, a number of piano
works and two of his concert overtures, Julius Caesar and Hermann und
Dorothea after Goethe. ([2])It was given its official premiere by Clara
Schumann and Ferdinand David in March 1852 [3].
Hindemith, Sonata Op. 4
Paul Hindemith: Born in Hanau, Germany, Hindemith was taught the violin
as a child. He entered the Hochsche Konservatorium in Frankfurt am Main
where he studied conducting, composition and violin under Arnold Mendelssohn
and Bernhard Sekles, supporting himself by playing in dance bands and
musical-comedy outfits. He acted as concertmaster of the Frankfurter Museumsorchester
from 1915 to 1923 and played in the Rebner string quartet from 1914 in
which he played second violin, and later the viola. In 1921 he founded
the Amar Quartet,[1] playing viola, and extensively toured Europe.
Brahms, Viola Sonata No. 1, Op. 120

By 1890, the ever self-critical Brahms had reached the point
where he felt that his composing days were over. His intentions were to
complete some unfinished works, and consign the rest to the flames. However,
a performance by the clarinettist Richard Muhlfield (1856-1907) rekindled
his desire to compose. The result was a series of works featuring the
clarinet: the Clarinet Trio Op. 114, the Clarinet Quintet Op. 115, and
the two Clarinet Sonatas of Op. 120.
The two Sonatas for Clarinet were the last pieces of chamber music composed
by Brahms.